Sheets of glass, for example, are frequently broken during transportation and handling. It has been observed that the weakest part of a sheet of glass is located very close to its corners, and more particularly at the junction between two substantially flat faces. Approximately 75% of all breakages during handling are caused by direct contact between a corner and another hard object. Such contact may cause the whole sheet to shatter, resulting in a risk of serious injury to the handlers.
Many other breakages result from contact between a bottom edge of a sheet of brittle material, such as a sheet of glass or marble, and a hard object, and for this reason it is necessary to carefully inspect and prepare any surfaces on which the sheet is to be stood. For example, if the sheet is inadvertently placed on a screw, nail or small stone during transportation in a motor vehicle the sheet will often be damaged, requiring the whole sheet to be scrapped.
The present invention seeks to provide a new and inventive form of corner protector which substantially reduces the risk of damage to a protected object, and is easy to apply and remove yet remains in place for as long as required.